46 Chapter 46 "New Term"
The Start-of-Term Feast unfolded much like it had in the previous year.
The Sorting Hat, despite singing an underwhelming ballad, commenced the sorting ceremony.
First-year students were to don the Sorting Hat to determine their respective houses. This magical hat possessed the power to proclaim the most suitable House for each student.
Among the first-year cohort this year was Skyler's acquaintance, Daphne's sister, Astoria Greengrass.
Daphne had joined Skyler's compartment to assist in settling her sister on the train early.
It afforded Luna the opportunity to board Skyler's carriage alongside Meredith.
Astoria bore a resemblance to her sister Daphne, with beautiful blonde hair, though her complexion was somewhat paler.
Skyler remembered that Daphne had once mentioned that her sister had suffered from a blood curse since infancy, which had left her frail and sickly.
In the original story, Astoria married Draco and bore a child but tragically succumbed to the same blood curse at a young age.
As anticipated, the Sorting Hat sorted Astoria into Slytherin, following in her sister's footsteps. This placed them in the same House.
This year's Slytherin first-year intake was notably promising. Skyler's magical insight had detected several students with extraordinary potential.
Skyler discreetly noted their names, recognizing their future significance.
Then, Professor Dumbledore rose and addressed the assembly, commanding immediate attention.
"Welcome," Dumbledore began, his beard aglow in the candlelight.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts once again. I have several matters to discuss, one of which is of paramount importance, and I believe it's best to clarify it before you savor your sumptuous meal and become bewildered."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "Our school is currently hosting a few Dementors from Azkaban. They have been sent by the Ministry of Magic for official duties, a fact you're already aware of, as they conducted inspections on the Hogwarts Express."
He proceeded, "They are stationed at every entrance to the school. I must emphasize that during their presence, no one is allowed to leave the school without proper authorization. Dementors are impervious to tricks and disguises, including the Invisibility Cloak."
He added somberly, "Dementors do not comprehend pleas or excuses. Therefore, I implore each one of you to ensure they are not given any reason to harm you. I trust the newly appointed Prefects to guide their fellow students effectively and keep them out of harm's way."
Slytherin's Gemma Farley had faced disappointment, and Skyler had discerned the subtle traces of her sorrow between the lines of her summer vacation letter.
To be fair, Gemma was undeniably talented, conscientious, and an enthusiastic prefect.
However, when compared to Penelope, it was clear that Penelope's academic prowess made her the natural choice for the position of Girls' Student Union President.
In his response, Skyler had chosen his words carefully to offer comfort to Gemma.
Despite her invitation to go out together, he had politely declined, not because he harbored any aversion to her being older, but because he felt his life was already filled with complexities, and he preferred not to add more.
"It is my pleasure," Dumbledore's voice suddenly soared, capturing the attention of the entire assembly. "This year, I am delighted to introduce three new additions to our esteemed teaching staff."
He began, "First, we welcome Professor Remus Lupin, who has graciously accepted the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor."
The applause was subdued, and a few hesitant claps quickly ceased.
After the recent turnover in this role, students had grown skeptical about Dumbledore's ability to secure a stable professor for this subject.
Professor Lupin appeared quite ill, with a haggard appearance and patched robes that invoked memories of Professor Quirrell from the past.
"Look at Professor Snape," Daphne whispered to Skyler.
Glancing at the professor's chair, they observed Professor Snape's intense, unkind scrutiny of Lupin, a clear sign of their ongoing animosity stemming from their shared history.
Snape seemed to fear that Lupin might introduce Sirius Black to the school to target Harry, a fear he made no effort to conceal, leading many to suspect he was disgruntled due to a failed bid for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position once again.
While Professor Lupin's teaching abilities were not in question, the awkward silence in the room prompted him to maintain a cheerful demeanor, seemingly unaffected by the icy reception.
Fortunately, Dumbledore intervened, rescuing the situation from further embarrassment.
"As for the second appointment," Dumbledore announced with regret, "our former Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Professor Kettleburn, retired at the end of last semester to enjoy his well-earned retirement. We are delighted to welcome Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this role alongside his duties as Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." The applause was heartfelt, particularly at the Gryffindor table.
Dumbledore's gaze then subtly shifted across the Slytherin table, causing Skyler to hold his breath, filled with trepidation.
Could it be related to Lucius's removal from the board of directors last year? Was there a change of heart?
"After careful consideration and the efforts of the school board," Dumbledore continued, "Hogwarts has decided to reintroduce the elective course of Alchemy for third-year students this year. We are pleased to welcome the renowned alchemical master, Professor Borgin, as the instructor for this new course." Dumbledore gestured toward a distinguished elderly man seated among the faculty.
This man, in his seventies with luxurious white hair and dressed in an opulent black velvet robe, rose and graciously acknowledged the applause from the four dining tables below.
The applause that followed was noticeably more fervent, and the Slytherin table displayed particular enthusiasm.
Professor Borgin, while not as famous as Nicolas Flamel, was a respected figure in the world of alchemy, a rare breed in the British wizarding community.
Over 30 years ago, at the International Alchemy Conference, he had presented a groundbreaking research paper on Vanishing Cabinets and space-bound magical items, solidifying his reputation as an authority in these specialized fields.
If Skyler's hunch was accurate, the vanishing cabinet in the Borgin and Burkes store had likely been repaired by him.
The missing piece was the other vanishing cabinet linked to it, residing in Hogwarts, dormant and undiscovered.
After dinner, upon returning to the Slytherin's common room, Pansy intercepted Skyler, a girl who had noticeably grown taller and become slimmer over the summer break.
She was accompanied by Tracy, Audrey, and several other girls, all sporting eager expressions.
Skyler suddenly felt like he had turned into a coveted treasure.
Pansy flashed a mischievous smile and inquired, "Skyler, word has it that you did something remarkable on the train—you managed to repel a Dementor. What spell did you use?"
The little serpents couldn't help but eavesdrop, albeit discreetly.
While the proud Slytherins might hesitate to seek advice from Skyler openly, they were keen to learn any information about defending against Dementors.
"It's not a closely guarded secret; I used the Patronus Charm. It's a rather advanced and complex spell designed to ward off Dementors," Skyler explained. "When cast, it conjures a small amount of light, not a full-fledged Patronus. I can teach you how to do it if you're interested."
Several girls nodded enthusiastically, expressing their interest.
Among them, a young blonde girl with an innocent face, standing behind Daphne, displayed immense admiration for Skyler.
This young girl was Astoria, Daphne's sister. Introduced by her elder sister, Astoria was practically a devoted fan who had met her idol.
Her eyes shimmered with excitement at getting acquainted with Skyler.
It was evident that Daphne cared deeply for her sister and had unhesitatingly entrusted Skyler with her.
Skyler saw this as an opportunity to build an initial connection with the Greengrass family and gladly agreed.
The new semester had begun, and students were immersed in their studies once more.
For third-year students, there were now at least two more subjects to tackle compared to the previous year, making their study schedule even more rigorous.
On the first morning of the school year, Skyler attended a Transfiguration class with the Hufflepuffs.
Professor McGonagall introduced Animagus transformation and explained its underlying principles.
Becoming an Animagus was considered the pinnacle of transfiguration, allowing a wizard to assume the form of an animal, inherit the animal's characteristics, and retain their human consciousness.
They could switch between their animal and human forms at will without the need for a wand.
However, while in animal form, they were unable to perform magic, limiting its applications to lurking, espionage, and evading capture.
These three applications of Animagus transformation hinge on the assumption that the individuals have not registered with the Ministry of Magic as Animagi.
If their state of transformation were known in advance, the practicality of these applications would be severely diminished, accompanied by the risk of being sent to Azkaban.
Even if Sirius vehemently claimed his innocence, being falsely accused as a Death Eater was a grave injustice.
If someone reported him as an unregistered Animagus, he could still find himself back in Azkaban, facing unwarranted punishment.
In Skyler's view, Animagus magic seemed rather impractical.
The complexity of the transformation process restricted wizards to assuming the form of ordinary animals, given that magical creatures possessed more intricate soul compositions.
Transfigurating into a magical creature could result in unforeseen and catastrophic consequences.
As for becoming common animals like cats, dogs, or mice, Skyler failed to discern any significant utility.
Wild cats and dogs were not prevalent on the streets of the UK, and transforming into them risked unwanted attention from Muggle authorities.
Furthermore, the Animagus Transfiguration had an element of randomness.
Although the form of transformation typically reflected one's soul, there was no certainty regarding the ultimate outcome. If one were to transform into a stag like James Potter, the sole practical purpose would be to accompany werewolf friends, as Skyler couldn't identify any other uses.
The notion that Sirius used Animagus transformation to deceive Dementors was challenged, as the same effect could be achieved through advanced Occlumency.
Claims that he traversed the prison's iron fence in this manner were also refuted, as accomplished Transfiguration and Shrinking spells could accomplish the same feat, provided one knew how to cast spells without a wand.
Moreover, sophisticated disguise magic, such as body transformation or Polyjuice Potion, could be more effective for infiltrating heavily guarded places like Hogwarts.
An additional concern was the likelihood that the Animagus form would mirror the caster's Patronus.
Skyler's successful creation of a full-fledged Patronus during summer break further solidified his decision to forego Animagus transformation.
Following that, the Harry trio attended the Curse class with Ravenclaw.
Professor Flitwick elucidated the principles behind using curses to manipulate emotions, showcasing spells like the Cheering Charm, Unforgivable Curses, and other Jinxes.
These were categorized as spiritual spells, and students were tasked with writing essays on the spells and their emotional effects as homework.
The trio also experienced their first Divination lesson, led by Professor Trelawney.
At lunchtime, the rumor about Trelawney seeing Harry's "Grim" fortune spread throughout Hogwarts, alongside the news of Sirius's prison escape.
Many people believed that her Divination foresight had foretold Harry's Grim, prompting some to steer clear of Harry.
Ron, while silent, harbored a sense of foreboding. He was concerned for Harry's safety and silently reminded himself to be cautious throughout the semester.
Hermione, on the other hand, regarded Professor Trelawney as a charlatan, leading to a disagreement with Ron over the matter.
